WSSYSA Youth Training Fund 2018

The WSSYSA has been established for many years and is well known for its provision of youth training events, formerly sail training and latterly racing events including the flagship WSSYSA Regatta, all aimed to encourage young people to participate in sailing in West Sussex. As its affiliate members, mainly sailing clubs and organisations, have developed and become more self sufficient, the demand for WSSYSA activity at a local level has diminished and the Management Committee has decided to offer Youth Bursaries to encourage young sailors to progress their personal development in racing or sail training.

Bursaries are available to promising young sailors younger than 19 years on September 8th in the year of the award to support their racing beyond club level or nationally recognised training activity. The bursary is intended to provide modest financial assistance to the sailors to support on going participation in racing events like Youth Nationals, RYA ranking events or selection for teams representing GBR or the RYA at international level. It could include participation at such events or sustained coaching activities or attendance at national programmes in furtherance of the development of their talent. It does not include attendance at home club organised activities. Equally it could be used to support sail training activity, for example, attendance on a RYA Instructor or Senior Instructor course.

The recipients are expected to provide a return to their sponsoring club/organisation by contributing to the development of youth sailing sailing from where they came. So candidates should indicate how they will provide such return support in order to encourage their peers and junior colleagues to participate in similar activities in the future. Candidates will need to specify how the bursary is to be spent, potentially identifying personal goals/targets, which will need to be verified and endorsed by the sponsoring club or organisation.

The number of the awards is limited and is determined by the Management Committee of the WSSYSA. In 2018, up to 7 awards of £300 each could be potentially made.

The timescale for 2018:

May 1st: Launch of 2018 bursaries on WSSYSA website

July 14th: Closing date for entries for 2018 bursaries

September 8th: Presentation of bursaries at WSSYSA Regatta

Applications maybe made anytime during May 1st to July 14th.

The nominations should be made on the attached form and endorsed by the supporting club or organisation. No more than two awards will be made to individuals from the same club or organisation (the organisation is expected to coordinate all applications from its members and select the two most deserving for submission to WSSYSA.